U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,014,911 and 4,014,912 describe the synthesis of triethylvanadate by reacting vanadium oxytrichloride with an alcohol in the presence of ammonia and a hydrocarbon solvent. In order to separate the by-product ammonium chloride, the product is extracted with an amide solvent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,911) or dimethyl sulfoxide (U.S. Pat. No. 4,014,912).